Kaitaia is a town in the far north region
of New Zealand, at the base of the Aupouri Peninsula
which is about 160km northwest of Whangarei.
It is the last major settlement on the main road north
to the capes and bays on the peninsula.
Ahipara Bay, the southernmost part of Ninety Mile Beach,
is five kilometres west of the town.

The main industries of the town are forestry and tourism.
The town has a population of 5,202 (2006 census) which makes it
second largest in the FNDC area, behind Kerikeri.

History
The Kaitaia Mission Station was first established in 1834 by
the missionaries Joseph Matthews and William Gilbert Puckey.

Transport
There were plans to extend the Okaihau Branch railway to
Kaitaia and construction was undertaken in the 1920s, but
with the line nearly complete to Rangiahua, a review in
1936 determined that the branch line would not be viable
and construction was abandoned.
The line therefore terminated in Okaihau until it was closed
on 1 November 1987. Despite the failure of the railway to
reach Kaitaia, D 221, a tank steam locomotive of the NZR D
class, has been on static display at Centennial Park
since 1967.

Kaitaia Airport receives regular air services
from Auckland.

Climate
Kaitaia has a oceanic, subtropical climate.
It is the warmest place in New Zealand.

Weather averages for Kaitaia

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

23.9
(75)

24.5
(76)

22.9
(73)

20.8
(69)

18.5
(65)

16.3
(61)

15.6
(60)

15.7
(60)

16.8
(62)

18.1
(65)

19.6
(67)

22
(72)

19.6
(67)

Average low °C (°F)

15.4
(60)

15.6
(60)

14.2
(58)

13.1
(56)

11.1
(52)

9.2
(49)

8.7
(48)

8.5
(47)

9.5
(49)

10.9
(52)

12.1
(54)

13.7
(57)

11.8
(53)

Precipitation mm (inches)

82
(3.23)

79
(3.11)

78
(3.07)

95
(3.74)

119
(4.69)

149
(5.87)

166
(6.54)

152
(5.98)

133
(5.24)

93
(3.66)

94
(3.7)

97
(3.82)

1,334
(52.52)

Source: NIWA Climate Data 1971 - 2000

Agriculture
The avocado industry flourishes around Kaitaia, with
orchards dispersed throughout the immediate area.
Wine is a growing commodity. One of the largest
vineyards is the Karikari Estate.

Education
Kaitaia School, Kaitaia Intermediate and Kaitaia
College are the main primary, intermediate and
secondary schools for the town of Kaitaia.
The primary school has a decile rating of 1, and
the others have a decile of 2.
The rolls are 277, 253, and 862 respectively.

Pompallier School is a Catholic full primary (years 1-8)
school with a decile rating of 3 and a roll of 126.

Kaitaia Abundant Life School is a Christian composite school
(years 1-15) with a decile rating of 2 and a roll of 211.
It was established in 1988 as a private primary school, and
extended to secondary students in 1992.
It became a state integrated school in 1996.

Oturu School is an outlying primary school serving years 1-8.
The school, north east of Kaitaia, has a decile rating of 1
and a roll of 63.

There are also Pukepoto School and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o
Pukemiro located in Pukepoto to the south-west.

All these schools are coeducational.

For more information about
Kaitaia see Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia